Suddenly

Skipping the Comments

Grace isn't sure how long she and Hannah sat tangled in one another one the bed. Her body shaking sobs had faded into soft hiccups every so often and her tears had finally begun to dry on her cheeks.

She knew one thing, she didn't want Hannah to let her go.

It felt so incredibly comforting to have the shorter woman's arms wrapped tightly around her body. The sound of her soft whispers of reassurance made her heart hum with a very strange warm feeling that she couldn't quite understand.

It wasn't as if Mamrie's presence hadn't helped, quite the opposite. But, it was hard to wrap her mind around. Mamrie's reassuring presence had made her feel comfortable, and safe. Much like a motherly, or sisterly comfort. Something stable and unwavering.

Hannah's, was like getting the first drink of water after spending days in the desert. She felt like the shorter woman was physically holding her together, reforming all the unseen cracks that had begun to mar her insides. Hannah knew the right way to hold her. How to not say a word but say everything at the same time with her body.

It almost scared Grace.

What was this feeling? And why was she feeling it now?

It wasn't as if Hannah had never been there for her in the past. No, there had been so many moments when the other woman had talked her out of her head. She had chased away negative thoughts and feelings, but she had never held her like this. She had never made Grace feel like this before.

At some point, she had finally untangled herself from the smaller woman. The sight of Hannah's slightly teary, red-rimmed eyes made her heart fall slightly, but she gave a nervous laugh.

"You have got to stop listening outside the door." She chastised softly, not really meaning a word she said. It was honestly a bit easier to have had Hannah hear the conversation and not have to end up repeating it.

Hannah's cheeks redden slightly. She struggled for an explanation but came up short. "I'm sorry, dude." She moved her body away from Grace's slightly so neither of them were touching.

Grace instantly missed the warmth, but she didn't dare comment on it.

She gave Hannah a small smile, "I didn't say I was angry. I know you were worried out of the pretty little head of yours. Heck, I think those worry lines are going to end up permanent."

Hannah didn't hear much of Grace's words beyond 'pretty little head,' but she didn't comment on the use of words, or how they made her heart soar the slightest bit.

"Hey!" She chose instead, lightly shoving Grace's arm. "I won't have wrinkles."

The taller woman laughed out loud. It felt good, it felt easy. It was nice. Hannah always had an innate knack for making her feel hundreds of times better through laughter.

"Didn't your parents ever tell you not to make faces? That it may get stuck like that?"

A flash of feigned panic bloomed across Hannah's face. "That really can't happen, can it?"

Grace laughed again, and Hannah though of all the different ways she could keep her laughing forever so she would never have to stop hearing the beautiful sound.

 
Grace wiped tears of laughter that had begun to fill her eyes as she threw Hannah a big smile. Leave it to Harto to make her forget the last few hours.

Her face sobered as the memories flew back into her mind. "I really am sorry for freaking out on you earlier. And that you felt you needed to call in the Calvary."

Hannah shrugged, trying to seem indifferent as picking a loose string on the comforter suddenly became more important than meeting Grace's eyes. She really needed to get this thing replaced.

A soft touch on her should brought her out of her reverie. Grace's brown eyes bore into her blue.

"Can we talk about it?"

Hannah froze for a second. "What I said...or umm...what I overheard?"

Grace sighed deeply, then moved to make herself more comfortable against the headboard. "Well, both, I suppose."

A rush of barely coherent words burst from Hannah's mouth. "I didn't mean- I mean you took- Grace I would never!" She let out the jumbled contents of her brain to an amused looking Grace.

That same hand on her shoulder made her stop once again.

"I was, am, emotional, Han. I understand what you meant. I took things the wrong way because I am terrified of being too much for you to handle. I'm bad enough on my own, add a toddler and a pregnancy and we might as well start pitching a circus tent."

"You would look good in a ringmaster's uniform." Her hand clapped over her mouth at her own poorly thought out words.

Luckily, Grace only gave her a pointed look, but did not comment.

"What are you going to do? With it?" Hannah had been dying to ask the question, but didn't know how to broach the subject.

A look she couldn't place flashed over Grace's face. Hannah didn't like the look. It was a mixed of fear, anxiety and slight resignation.

"Keep it, of course."!

Hannah nodded, letting out a breath she didn't realize she was actually holding. She had hoped for that answer. Another part of Grace running around would be amazing. Ayla was just the sweetest.

"I hope it's a boy." She told her friend.

The slight wince that crossed Grace's face didn't go unnoticed by the shorter woman, but she didn't comment.

"No boys. I'm going for another girl."

Hannah smiled, another little clone of Grace was  a pretty cool idea. She got it. She really did. The thought of seeing a miniature Josh running around would be hard to stomach every day.

"I hope she looks like you."

Grace didn't let Hannah see the smile her words brought to her face.

"I do make pretty kids." She joked.

Throwing her head back, Hannah let out a full belly laugh.

"I mean, A is a pretty cute kid. Those Helbig gene didn't fail her."

Grace chuckled softy, then repositioned herself so her head lay in Hannah's lap. Absently, the woman began to run her fingers lightly through her hair.

It felt nice.

It was comfortable.

Neither woman commented on this of course.